Unsafe and unreliable urban drinking water is pushing households toward bottled water, increasing dependence on single-use plastics and exposing people to microplastics. India generates about 9.3 million tonnes of plastic waste annually, with significant leakage into the environment due to collection gaps. At the same time, cities produce nearly 48,000 MLD of sewage, but only ~56% is effectively treated, allowing pollution to re-enter water sources and worsen water quality. The recycling system relies heavily on informal waste pickers who recover ~40% of recyclables, yet modern waste reforms often reduce their incomes and exclude them from formal systems, while sanitation workers continue to face hazardous conditions. The issue highlights a vicious cycle linking water insecurity, plastic pollution and invisible labour, underscoring the need for integrated, inclusive and infrastructure-led urban sustainability.
Click to View MoreThe Ramsar Convention is an international treaty adopted in 1971 for the conservation and wise use of wetlands, recognizing their importance for biodiversity, water security, climate regulation, and human livelihoods. Wetlands designated as Ramsar Sites receive global recognition for their ecological value, including support for migratory birds, flood control, groundwater recharge, and carbon storage. In India, the addition of new sites such as Patna Bird Sanctuary in Uttar Pradesh and Chhari-Dhand Wetland in Gujarat reflects the country’s growing commitment to wetland conservation. These designations strengthen scientific management, international cooperation, and sustainable use while balancing ecological protection with community livelihoods.
Click to View MoreThe Himalayas face a snowless winter due to weakened Western Disturbances and El Niño. This disrupts the cryosphere, threatens Indo-Gangetic water security and apple farming, highlights Arctic amplification, accelerates glacier retreat, raises forest fire risks, and endangers ecological and economic stability.
Click to View MoreThe Himalayan cryosphere, Asia’s Third Pole, is melting rapidly due to global warming, threatening water security, increasing GLOFs, and disrupting food, energy, and stability. Despite initiatives like NMSHE, gaps remain. Strong monitoring, regional cooperation, resilient infrastructure, and deep emission cuts are essential.
Click to View MoreIndia, the world’s largest groundwater user, faces a deepening crisis due to unchecked extraction, weak regulation, and distorted subsidies. Despite CGWA and Atal Bhujal Yojana, depletion persists. Sustainable solutions need demand-side management, stronger laws, and community-led, decentralised groundwater governance.
Click to View MoreThe public health crisis in Indore exposed deep urban governance failures, as sewage-contaminated water from ageing pipelines caused deaths despite prior warnings by the Comptroller and Auditor General of India. The episode reveals neglect of core water infrastructure and highlights the need for audits, monitoring, accountability, and effective implementation of AMRUT 2.0.
Click to View MoreGlobal glacier loss may peak during 2041–55, with up to 4,000 glaciers disappearing yearly. This threatens water security worldwide, especially in the Hindu Kush Himalaya. For India, higher GLOF risks and seasonal rivers loom. Limiting warming to 1.5°C remains crucial to save nearly half of global glaciers.
Click to View MoreA PLOS Climate update reveals India has warmed by 0.9°C since 1901, leading to intensified Arabian Sea cyclones, rising marine heatwaves, and Himalayan ice loss. Urgent action is needed for adaptation, resilient infrastructure, and climate-smart agriculture to safeguard water security and coastal communities.
Click to View MoreKarnataka’s Jala Sanjeevini programme tackles drought by combining GIS mapping with community inputs through a mobile app. Using MGNREGA funds, it builds targeted water structures that recharge groundwater, improve soil moisture, and strengthen rural resilience—offering a scalable conservation model.
Click to View MoreThe Jal Jeevan Mission has raised rural tap water access from 17% in 2019 to over 81% by October 2025, saving 5.5 crore hours daily and averting 4 lakh deaths. Through community participation and digital monitoring, it strengthens sustainability, water quality, and rural empowerment nationwide.
Click to View MoreThe Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) scheme supports micro-irrigation techniques such as drip and sprinkler systems. It provides financial assistance to facilitate state-driven water conservation initiatives. This, in turn, enhances agricultural productivity, optimizes water usage, and increases farmer incomes.
Click to View MoreChina’s extensive dam-building on the Brahmaputra exemplifies its “hydropower diplomacy,” leveraging water to assert regional dominance. This threatens India’s water security, risking floods, scarcity, and ecological damage. India must safeguard riparian rights and accelerate its own dam projects to counter China’s hydro-hegemony.
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